Steroid Scandal at Broward County Sheriff’s Office

Apr 5

Law Enforcement Officers with Steroid Prescriptions Likely to Be Cleared

The Broward Sheriff’s Office tested 16 employees for anabolic steroids on February 20, 2009 after allegations of illegal steroid use surfaced. The Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) immediately placed 15 deputies and one civilian employee on administrative assignment, otherwise known as desk duty, following the unannounced steroid testing. The internal affairs investigation into possible illegal steroid use involves two phases. First, the inquiry will determine if the BSO employees actually used anabolic steroids based on the results of the steroid testing. Secondly, if the BSO employees test positive for steroid use, the inquiry will focus on whether the employees received a steroid prescription for a legitimate medical purpose.

The Broward County Police Benevolent Association (BCPBA) filed a lawsuit on behalf on the accused BSO employees. The lawsuit accuses the Broward Sheriff’s Office of improperly and illegally subjecting its employees to steroid testing urinalysis. The attorney for the BCPBA says that officers have no problem with steroid testing itself, but object to the manner and method in which it was administered in this case.

Nine of the sixteen BSO employees were cleared of wrongdoing within 10 days of being reassigned to desk duty. The steroid tests did not detect the presence of any exogenous anabolic steroids and the employees were deemed steroid-free. They subsequently returned to their regular assignments.

The remaining seven BSO employees presumably tested positive for steroids and remain on leave pending the conclusion of the internal affair investigation. Broward Sheriff's spokesperson Jim Leljedal explained that the second phase of the investigation will determine if the employees had medical prescriptions justifying their steroid use. "If they don't have prescriptions, if they're not supposed to be taking steroids, and they are, then they would be in violation of our very strict drug policy," said Leljedal.

“[T]he use of steroids without a prescription and the use of masking agents is considered a violation of policy and applicable state and/or federal law," according to the applicable Broward Sheriff’s Office policy. BSO permits the use of anabolic steroids only when they are “administered to employees through a legitimate physician/patient relationship and prescription."

Jim Leljedal refused to explain why the BSO employees were suspected of steroid use. Leljedal addressed the question by stating that ''information was developed that they might be using steroids.”

The Broward-Palm Beach New Times reported that a BSO detective allegedly pursued the accusations against fellow employees in the Broward Sherriff’s Office. The suspicions of steroid use stemmed from surveillance of their involvement with the now-defunct Lifestyle Rejuvenation Center. If these allegations turn out to be true, it will not be the first time that the Broward Sheriff’s Office has been implicated in a longevity clinic and compounding pharmacy scandal.

In 2005, eight Broward sheriff's deputies were investigated after the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami discovered their names in the customer/patient records seized from PowerMedica, a now-defunct Deerfield Beach compounding pharmacy. Federal prosecutors turned over the names of steroid users to the Broward Sheriff's Office for further investigation.

The PowerMedica patient records contained the names of hundreds, if not thousands, of patients who were prescribed steroids. However, law enforcement employees were the only individual users, aside from famous athletes and entertainers, who were targeted. All eight BSO employees were cleared of wrongdoing in the 2005 case because they had prescriptions for steroids.

The 2009 case appears very similar with BSO employees who were patients/customers of the Lifestyle Rejuvenation Center. If the remaining officers under investigation turn out to have prescriptions for steroids, the BSO is likely to exonerate them as well.

Once again, the BSO steroid scandal will provide an opportunity for the media and general public to express their moral disapproval of the use of steroids by cops, but will likely result in no disciplinary action and uncover no violation of the law by accused cops.

Sources

“Nine cleared in Broward Sheriff's Office steroid case,” April 1, 2009

“Broward Sheriff Sergeant Turns in Fellow Officers in Lifestyle Rejuvenation Center Steroid Scandal,” April 1, 2009

“A former cop tells how he and a fellow officer took steroids,” March 31, 2009

“Plantation's Police Chief Breaks Records Laws to Cover for Cops on Steroids,” March 24, 2009

“Nine BSO Workers Cleared In Steroid Investigation,” March 17, 2009

By Millard Baker

http://www.millardbaker.com

www.SteroidsRx.com